Marin County DA drops, reduces 500 cannabis cases

NOVATO, Calif. - The Marin County District Attorney's Office has dropped or reduced 514 marijuana charges in the county prior to 2017, the office announced Monday.   

Thanks to Proposition 64, which was initiated in 2018, some marijuana charges in California are eligible to be reduced, dismissed or sealed.   

The district attorney office worked with the non-profit Code for America to review conviction data in April 2019. 

They found 604 people in 514 cases who were eligible to be dropped or reduced.  

 "The effect of a conviction on a person's record can have a multitude of negative effects, including lost job and housing opportunities," said Marin County District Attorney Lori Frugoli in a statement. "Our office and community partners want to ensure that those who have an eligible conviction are aware that their case may have been reduced or dismissed. We also want to thank the court for assisting us in this time-consuming and important job."   

Residents with charges relating to marijuana can check their eligibility to Proposition 64 by reaching Assistant District Attorney Otis Bruce at (415) 473-6450.   

San Francisco's former District Attorney George Gascon was the first prosecutor in California to start this program, clearing more than 9,000 cannabis cases in February 2019.

KTVU contributed to this report.